Anxiety

If you often feel more anxious than other people in everyday situations, you may have an anxiety disorder. Dr. Kleinman can diagnose your condition and offer treatment options for anxiety using highly effective, well-regarded methods. As a board-certified psychiatrist in her practice at Amanda S. Kleinman MD Ltd in Chicago at One Magnificent Mile, she can help you come to terms with your anxiety and develop a wiser, more peaceful frame of mind. Schedule an evaluation by phone or online today.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is the experience of having intense, uncontrollable worry and emotional distress that negatively affects your mood, mental health, and quality of life. Dr. Kleinman treats patients struggling with anxiety, whether it's for a few months or many years.

Some patients may seek care from Dr. Kleinman when they feel like they haven’t been able to sustain their success from past psychotherapies. Other patients may consult Dr. Kleinman when they feel their anxiety has not responded well enough to medication.

What are symptoms of anxiety?

Anxiety can cause the following symptoms:

• Feeling anxious
• Ongoing or extreme fear or worry
• Racing heartbeat
• Hyperventilation
• Increased sweating
• Panic attacks
• Phobias
• Depression
• Substance misuse

Anxiety and depression often, but not always, appear together. While periodic anxiety is common, treatment is beneficial for ongoing or extreme anxiety symptoms. 

What may increase my risk of anxiety?

Anyone may develop anxiety, but factors that can increase your risk of having the condition include:

• Family history of anxiety
• Extreme or ongoing stress
• Past trauma
• Certain personality traits
• Having another mental health condition
• Physical health problems

The exact cause of anxiety isn’t entirely clear. Anxiety may appear due to interpersonal or family disputes or because of constant worry about the way people view you. It may appear in certain situations, such as social or public gatherings, or when you feel physically or emotionally “trapped.” It may also be related to conflicts in how you see yourself and how you feel you are “supposed” to be. 

How does my specialist diagnose anxiety?

Dr. Kleinman diagnoses anxiety after discussing your symptoms and mental health history. She completes a psychiatric evaluation and asks about any past treatments. She also asks about your moods, emotions, behaviors, medications, and lifestyle habits before tailoring a personalized treatment plan.

How does my specialist treat anxiety?

Dr. Kleinman offers psychodynamic psychotherapy and transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP) along with medication management to treat complicated anxiety and the worrisome symptoms associated with it. Psychodynamic psychotherapy and TFP will help you address anxiety by addressing the underlying forces that may be causing it. This includes exploring your sense of self and personal identity,  considering your concept of how things in life should work, and examining your patterns of interacting with and relating to other people. Dr. Kleinman also provides medication management to help reduce symptoms when they become too difficult to manage on your own.

Her treatment approach is effective for anxiety that extends beyond standard classifications, including occasional flashbacks from past trauma, periods of obsessive-like thinking, panic attacks, or compulsive behavior.

Dr. Kleinman tailors each treatment to your personalized needs and follows your progress closely to ensure exceptional results.

Request a consultation with Dr. Kleinman by phone or submit an online request today.